[jbgarcia]

I bought them about 2 years ago because I read that they were a good choice for a beginner audiophile on a budget, and I'm just wondering if I made a good decision. I guess it doesn't really matter much since I already have them, but if any one has a better suggestion for either I welcome it.

 

[cel4145]

The FiiO e07k should be cable of driving the HD598s to decent volumes. Are you finding that you are running it near full volume and want more headphone amp?

 

[Me x3]

Some higher end amps are slightly more clear than E07K, you should consider the E17K.
 
That said, differences among solid state amps are subtle. If you critically listen to quality music, you'll probably hear a difference, but it's not a world what you are missing. With just ok recordings, it's really hard to justify an upgrade from E07K.

 

[PurpleAngel]

  I bought them about 2 years ago because I read that they were a good choice for a beginner audiophile on a budget, and I'm just wondering if I made a good decision. I guess it doesn't really matter much since I already have them, but if any one has a better suggestion for either I welcome it.

I you are seriously thinking of spending cash for an audio upgrade, what would be the budget?
 
I would think (best guess) the Philips Fidelio headphones would offer more bass, then the HD598.
Wonder if the Schiit Fulla, might offer a tiny bit better audio quality, over the E07K?
(but I would think up grade headphone first, then think about replacing the external DAC/amp)

 

[notfitforpublic]

The HD558/E07k was my initial setup. Cheapest audio upgrade was replacing poorly ripped MP3 files for lossless. If you want to get the best out of future purchases I would definitely start there. Beyond that the 598 and E07k combo is a pretty decent sounding setup, to hear any noticeable difference in SQ you'd probably be looking at starting at $200-300 for a new DAC/AMP and $200-$400 for headphones. Fidelio X2 would be a good upgrade to the headphones and still be powered  by the E07k so you can break up the cost over time.
 
If your not really looking to spend that kind of cash, and your music library contains quality rips from good recordings, what you've got already is no slouch. I can't think of anything much cheaper that wouldn't be a lateral move instead of an upgrade.